The Renovation Wave strategy was introduced by the European Commission in 2020 under the European Green Deal to accelerate energy-efficient renovations across the EU’s building stock. It aims to increase annual renovation rates and reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from buildings by 2030.

Buildings represent a substantial share of the EU’s energy use and emissions, due largely to older structures, inefficient heating systems, and slow renovation rates. The initiative focuses on improving the energy performance of existing buildings rather than limiting action to new construction alone.

Core elements of the strategy include aligning renovation measures with the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, setting minimum energy performance standards, and requiring Member States to develop long-term renovation strategies. These measures are intended to deliver significant reductions in energy demand and emissions from the built environment.

Energy efficiency actions promoted under the Renovation Wave include enhanced insulation, upgraded ventilation and heat recovery systems, and the replacement of fossil-fuel-based heating technologies. Encouraging deeper renovations is seen as essential to achieving EU climate targets by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050.

The strategy also emphasises the economic and social dimensions of renovation, noting that increased activity in the building sector can stimulate investment, support local supply chains, and create employment, while improved building performance can help address energy poverty.